Pedal attachment for pianos.



A. KLAPPENBAG PEDAL ATTACHMENT FOR IIIIIIIIIIIIIIII DEOLIG, 191

1 ,1 1 1,226 Patented Sept. 22, 19m

ALBERT KLAPPENBAOH, OF SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS.

PEDAL ATTACHMENT FOR PIANOS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 22, 1914.

Application filed December 16, 1913. Serial No. 807,087.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT KLAPPENBAOH, a citizen of the United States, residing at San Antonio, in the county of Bexar and State of Texas, have invented a new and useful Pedal Attachment for Pianos, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in attachments for the pedals of pianos.

An object of the present device is to provide an attachment which may be easily andquickly secured to the pedal of a piano and in whioh the attaching means will be practically invisible from above.

A further object is to provide an attachment for piano pedals to keep mice and vermin for entermg the opening exposed by the pedal when in a raised or elevated position and which attachment will remain practically hidden from sight, will present no outstanding projections which would be liable to attract attention thereto, and at the same time may be adjusted to fit pedals and openings of different instruments.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed, can be made within the scope of what is claimed, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the drawings accompanying this specification and forming a part thereof, the preferred embodiment of my invention is illustrated, in which Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of a pedal in operable position in a piano casing and with my improved attachment secured thereto. Fig. 2 is a somewhat similar view of a modified form of pedal and illustrating the manner in which my improved attachment may be adapted for use therewith. Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 33 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the guard member.

Referring to the drawings in which similar reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, 5 is the bottom and 6 the front wall of a piano casing and in Fig. 1 the bottom and end walls are provided with the opening 7 extending therethrough and in which the pedal moves while as in Fig. 2 the front 6 alone is provided with the opening 8.

The attachment herein disclosed may be used with pedals of the type illustrated in Fig. l in which the outer portion 9 upon which the foot rests is practically of solid construction and with the pedal illustrated in Fig. 2 in which the portion is of U-shape in cross section. The pedal is supported by some suitable structure 11 the details of which are omitted and which however mounts the pedal for the usual oscillating motion and in conjunction with which is the spring 12 bearing upon the pedal and adapted to hold the same in a raised or elevated position.

In order to prevent mice or vermin from entering the piano through the openings 7 or 8, the guard as illustrated in Fig. 1 is provided, which includes the body portion 13 and upstanding end 14 which latter forms a shield. In order to rigidly and at the same time adjustably secure the guard to the pedal the L-shaped members 15 are provided and which are formed with suitable openings 16 through which the securing bolt 17 extends. The L-shapcd clips illustrated in Fig. 3, extend across and at the sides of the arms or side walls 18 of the pedal. The bolt 17 engages the said L-shaped holding members and draws the same into forced and rigid contact with the said pedal securely anchoring the same thereto. The inwardly extending legs 19 of the Lshaped holding member receive the body portion 13 of the guard therebetween and rigidly clamps the same thereabove and beneath the bolt 17. Thus by loosening the bolt the body portion 18 may be moved longitudinally of the pedal so as to adjust the upstanding end or shield 14 thereof to operable position with respect to the opening 7 A somewhat modified form of device has been illustrated in Fig. 2 which is to be used in connection with pedals of hollow construction. In this instance the body portion 13 is bent along a line 20 indicated by dots in Fig. 4. The body portion is bent a slight distance along the said line, which allows the lower extremity 21 of the shield to project a slight distance below the bottom wall of the opening 8 when the pedal is in a raised or elevated position. The shield 14 extends up between the U-shaped side walls of the pedal and prevents any mice or vermin from The guard when so positioned and so bent may also be adjusted longitudinally of the pedal so as to be in proper relation with respect to the end walls of the opening and at the same time prevent undue frictional contact therewith or a scraping action which would tend to mar the highly polished surface of the piano casing. The rigid manner in which the holding members 15 securely clamp .to the pedal prevents any undue play or movement'of the guard and this is further insured by the fact that the bolt 17 extends above while the legs 19 extend below the body portion thereof. Thus in addition to the holding action of the clamp the guard will be held against movement in a vertical plane by reason of its three point contact, one above, and two below, with :the bolt and holding members. The holding members extend normally sufficient distance up the side walls'of the pedal so as to obtain a firm purchase thereon and do not extend above the top surface thereof which would add an unsightly appearance thereto. Also mention is made of the fact that the device herein disclosed will not require that the pedal be in any way altered or drilled in order that it I may be secured thereto.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is':

1. An attachment for piano pedals com-Z prising a plate substantially equal in width i to the width of the pedal, said plate beingj bent intermediate of its ends to form a body portion and an upturned end, holding clips i embracing the pedal therebetween, projecting therebelow, and contacting with the side edges of said plate,means extending between I the clips and disposed intermediate the contacts of the clips with the pedal and with the plate, holding the plate in fixed and adjusted relation with respect to the pedal.

2. An attachment for piano pedals comprising a plate, said plate being bent inter mediate its ends to form a shield and a body portion, L-shaped clips engaging the opposite side walls of the pedal, a bolt extendmg between said clips adapted to draw the same into rigid engagement with the side walls of the pedal, the inwardly extending portions of the clip projecting beneath and engaging the side edges and adjacent portions of the body portion of said shield and drawn into rigid engagement therewith by means of said bolt, said shield held rigidly in poliv tion thereby. I Q

3. An attachment for piano pedals, comprising a plate, said plate being bent intermediate its ends to form ashield and a body 1;

portion, L-shaped clips engaging the opposite and curved side walls of the pedal, l bolt extending between said clips adapkd to draw thesame into rigid engagement with the side walls of the pedal, the inwardly extending portions of the clip projecting be neath and engaging the side edges and adjacent portions of the body portion of said shield and drawn into forced contact therewith by said bolt, said shield held rigidly Z;

in position thereby, said plate being noversible to hold said shield in an upstanding and depressed position respectively.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aflixed my signa- Witnesses:

J. A. ALAMEDA, Trros. F. LOGAN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patent.

Washington, 13. C. 

